Continuing our journey deeper into sheaths* of the body we move to the vijanamayakosa (the intellectual body) which is closely related to the manomayakosa which we looked at in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 of Light on Life discusses how with the vijanamayakosa, the intellect is transformed into intelligence (buddhi) or Wisdom.
The five fluctuations of the consciousness (citta vrtittis) allow the individual to channel ways of thinking to transform intellect into wisdom. Listed in YS 1.6, theses citta vrttis are:
pramāna – valid knowledge
viparyaya – error
vikalpa – imagination
nidrā – sleep
smrtayah – memory
YS I.7- YS I.13 discuss these concepts and how to bring harmony and integration into our lives. YS I.12 introduces the concepts of abhyāsa (practice) and vairāgyā (detachment) which balance each other on the path to cultivation of the quiet disposition of the consciousness. Practice being an evolutionary path to discovery of the Self – involving the yamās, niyamas, āsana, and prānāyāma and detachment being the involutionary path to discovery – involving pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. This harmony and integration is in large part achieved through the practice of the yamās (which we’ve previously discussed here)and niyamas . All of these converge to transform instinct into intuition and wisdom, helping us make the correct choices with clarity, insight and freedom.
We hope that you’ve had a chance to get into Chapter 5 of Light on Life – there will be a much be a longer time between June’s meeting and our meeting in July. During this time, please read Chapter 6 for Light on Life but please go back over the chapters on pranamyakosa and manomanakosa as these are quite dense chapters. Continue to explore the rich tapestry the sūtras weave not only through Light on Life but in your own lives.
* If you’re looking for a good breakdown and succinct summary of the kosas, take a look at Table 5: The Stages of Samadhi in Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
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